Moistening device for envelope flaps



F b. 14 195 w. J. HANSON ET AL MOISTENING DEVICE FOR ENVELOPE FLAPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1a, 1946 ATTORNEY W. J. HANSON ET AL.

MOISTENING DEVICE FOR ENVELOPE FLAPS Feb. 14 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1946 71 HyENTO R W252}; 02%;;

ATTO R N EY Patented Feb. 14, 1950 MOISTENING DEVICE FOR ENVELOPE FLAPS Walter J. Hanson, Port Chesteig'N. Y., and Arthur D. Linden, Stamford, Conn, assignors to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application April 18, 1946, SerialNo. 663,182

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a moistening device which is particularly adapted for use in the moistening of the gummed flap of an envelope, or the gummed' surface of labels or tape, which envelope, labels or tape are adapted to have a postage impression printed thereon by means of printing mechanism provided within the same casing which houses the moistening device.

Atypical postage printing mechanism, such as used within the casing, may be found in Patent Number 2,344,609. The present invention however, is more particularly related to the moistening device.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide Within a casing which normally encloses a postage printing-mechanism, a moistening device which is normally concealed within the casing and which may be reached by passing the gummed surface of an envelope flap through a slot provided in one corner of the casing wall when an envelope flap is to be moistened.

It is another object of the invention to provide a moistening unit within a casing which may be reached for the moistening of an envelope flap by passing the gummed flap through a slot within one corner of the casing or which may be withdrawn to expose the moistening surface at a position outside the casing for the moistening of the gummed surface of a label or piece of gummed tape which had previously been printed with a postage impression.

It is a further object to provide a closed ended tubular moistening member having a supply of water therein and capillary moistening means for attracting the water to the moistening surface of the; moistening member, and to support same in a substantially horizontal and concealed position within a casing, and further to arrange same so that the moistening surface may be reached upon passing a gummed flap of an envelope through a slotted corner in the casing wall.

It is another object to provide a moistening member, which comprises a closed ended tube having a supply of water therein and capillary means for attracting the water to a moistening surface thereof, and mounting said member in a substantially horizontal position within a casing in such manner that when the casing rests in its normal position upon a table, the capillary means will be submerged within the water in the tube to attract moisture to the moistening surface, and when the casing is carried with its forward end upward, the tube will be supported in a vertically disposed position with the water deposited in the lower portion thereof, out of contact with the capillary moistening means. Spill ing of the water is thus prevented when trans-" corner of the casing during the process of the moistening of said flap;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view similar to Fig. 1, showing a moistening unit partially withdrawn from the casing to a position where it is adapted to be used for the convenient moistening of gummed labels, tape and the like;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the casing and showing the moistening' unit mounted therein with part in section and part in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the moistener element; and

Fig. 6 shows an outline view of the casing within a carrying case in a normal carrying;

position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a; moistening unit, generally indicated at "I, is; mounted in a substantially horizontal positions within a casing H. Said casing includes front,, rear and side walls 9, normally forming a substantially rectangular plan contour, and further is generally hood shaped to normally provide a covering for a printing unit of the type illustrated in the aforementioned Patent 2,344,609. Said printing unit is generally indicated at I! in dot-and dash lines, Fig. 3.

The moistening unit comprises a tube l3 having one end closed by a fixed plug l4, and the;

other end closed by a removable screw cap l5. Near the forward interior end of the tube, adja cent the plug 14, a capillary slotted moistening element [6 is mounted, as best indicated in Figs.- 3 and 4. Said slotted element 16 preferably comprises a vertically positioned block which has a restricted capillary slot I! cut longitudinally therethrough, and has two feet l8-l8, which bear against the lower inner surface of the tube, while the upper moistening surface thereof projects beyond the outer periphery of the tube. The arrangement of said slotted element is such that water will be attracted through the slot.

from a location provided by a lower recessed portion I9, and through capillary attraction will reach the upper or moistening surface of the moistening element I6. Means are provided for the proper support of the tube l0, which comprise a bearing 2| extending inwardlyfrom the front wall of the casing and a bracket 22 secured to one side wall of the casing, thus positioning the tube It along one side wall with the moistening portion positioned within a corner formed by the front and one side wall of the casing.

A horizontally disposed slot 23 is cut through the corner of the casing Wall at the location of the moistening element iii, and in substantial alignment with the moistening surface of said moistening element. As a result of such arrangement moistening of the gummed surface of an envelope flap can be accomplished by drawing the flap through the slot. Upon inserting and drawing the envelope flap through the slot, the gummed surface is urged downward slightly against the moistening surface of the slotted element l6 and is moistened as the flap is drawn thereacross. The moistener is normally concealed from view thusmaintaining the streamlined contour of the Casing, but due to the slotted corner 23, it is accessible for continuous use.

In addition to being useful for the moistening of envelope flaps, the moistening unit Hi is adapted to slide through the bearing 2i and bracket 22 for withdrawal to the position shown in Fig. 2, which places the moistening surface in a more convenient position for the purpose of moistening an occasional label or piece of printed tape 24. A pull handle 27 is provided for convenience in effecting withdrawal of the moistening unit If).

The arrangement of the tubular moistener unit I also makes it possible to carry the casing with the front end upward, as in the position shown in Fig. 6. It is customary for example to carry the device to the post office for the setting of a prepaid amount of postage. A suitable carrying case is provided for convenience in carrying the device, and when held by a handle 26, the casing H is normally retained in the correct carrying position.

Having described the claimed is:

1. The combination with a postage printing machine casing the front and one side wall of which forms one corner thereof; of a moistening member having a moistening surface mounted in a concealed position within the said corner of the casing, and said casing having a slot through said corner in substantial alignment with the moistening surface of the moistening member, whereby the device is adapted for the moistening of the gummed surface of an envelope flap when the flap is drawn through the slot and across the moistening surface of the moistening member.

,2. The combination with a postage printing machine casing the front and one side wall of which forms one corner thereof; of a moistening member comprising a tube containing water and having a capillary slot to attract the water to the moistening surface thereof, said tube being positioned Within the said corner thereof, and said casing having a slot through said corner in substantial alignment with the moistening surface of the moistening tube, whereby the device invention, What is 4 is adapted for the moistening of the gamma surface of an envelope flap when the flap is drawn through the slot and across the moistening surface of the moistening tube.

3. The combination with a postage printing machine casing the front and one side wall of which forms one corner thereof; of a moistening member insertable within the front wall of the casing near the said corner thereof, said moiste ing member being adjustable to place the mo tening surface thereof in a position either insi e or outside of the casing, and said casing having horizontally disposed slot through said corner in substantial alignment with the moistening surface, whereby the device is adapted for the moistening of the gummed surface of an envelope flap when the flap is drawn through the slot and across the moistening surface while the moistening surface of the moistening member is located within the casing, or is adapted for the moistening of the gummed surface of a label or tape when the moistening surface is adjusted to a position outside of the casing.

4. The combination with a postage printing machine having a casing thereover with the front and one side wall forming a substantially right angled corner; of a moistening element supported within the casing and having a moistening surface positioned inside the said casing corner, said casing further having a slot through the said right angled corner in substantial alignment with the moistening surface of the moistening element, whereby a non-exposed moistening element becomes accessible to permit the gummed surface of an envelope flap to be drawn across the moistening surface thereof.

5. The combination With a transportable postage printing machine having a casing thereover with the front and one side wall of said casing forming a substantially right angled corner; of a tubular moistening element having a capillary slotted portion through which water is attracted to its moistening surface, a support for said moistening element including an opening in the front wall of the casing through which the element is inserted with the moistening surface thereof supported inside said right angled corner of the casing walls, and said casing further having a slot through the said right angled cor- .ner in substantial alignment with the moistening surface of the moistening element, whereby a non-exposed moistening element becomes accessible to permit the gummed surface of an envelope flap to be drawn across the moistening surface thereof.

WALTER J. HANSON. ARTHUR D. LINDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 442,510 Burton Dec. 9, 1890 1,889,911 Storck Dec. 6, 1932 2,074,811 Schuh Mar. 23, 1937 2,167,257 Wheeler July 25, 1939 2,167,727 Rosebush Aug. 1, 1939 2,342,284 Kimball et al Feb. 22, 1944 

